As we wound up the 2023 calendar year, we took the time to reflect on all of the positive things that happened for Manotak Lodge and our family this year. First, the BEST news of the year is the birth of our first grandson, Noah Lee Swafford, on November 21, 2023, coming in at 8 lbs 15 oz and 21.5” long. We don’t think we are old enough to be grandparents but here we are, Nana and Papa (or whatever Noah wants to call us).
2023 was the first year that all of the border restrictions had been lifted and we can’t be happier that things are starting to get back to normal finally! Fishing was fantastic all year, but it was greatly affected by severe drought conditions. Perrault Lake is the lowest we have ever seen it, so we need a lot of snow! I wish we could control the weather and fishing conditions but that’s why it’s called fishing and not catching! Our Perrault Lake Trophy Release Program has been instrumental in ensuring we have trophy fish available in high numbers in all species. We thank all of our guests for practicing conservation to guarantee the health of our fishery for years to come.
Follow along on our social media pages for pictures, videos and more! We generally send 1-2 newsletters a year. If you want more content and information, you can check out our socials and the Blog on our webpage. We plan to ramp up postings to all platforms in the new year. We don’t send spam mail so if you get our newsletter, you signed up for it. If you are reading this on socials and do not get our newsletter, please go to the bottom of our home page to sign up!
Our new septic system which was mandated by the Ministry of the Environment was completed at the end of July 2023. We appreciate everyone’s understanding with the condition of the driveway and occasional noise during the day in July while everything was constructed. Of course, we would have rather bought some new boats and motors, but the government had other plans!
Speaking of boats and motors, the plan is to add a few to our fleet in 2024. Manotak prides itself on running some of the best boats in the industry and it’s time to begin replacing some dinosaurs.
Repeat guests will notice all of the old dock system was removed and we have added more floating docks. A few more sections and walkways will be built in 2024 to complete the reconfiguration. We also shored up the sundeck and will add more seating in 2024. You can check out everything happening live at the dock from our Dock Cam. Watch long enough and you might spot a fox, wolf, or a lynx!
We managed to get a few cabins painted and keep up with the mowing and special projects. We plan to get to the rest of the cabin exteriors in 2024. Cabin 1 got a new upstairs shower. While we could not make it larger, it is a definite improvement! Cabin 1 downstairs shower will be replaced in the spring. We also have replaced a ton of deck boards and railings all overt camp with more on the list for 2024.
Guests need to be certain their passports are up to date. You can drive across the border with an Enhanced Driver’s License (the one with the star) as well. You must have a passport to fly. We had several groups cancel last year because of passport issues. This not only causes you to forfeit your deposit, but it also causes us to lose thousands of dollars that could be used to reinvest into Manotak for the future. Please contact us with any questions about crossing the border into Canada. We are here to help!
We are currently working on confirming that all reservations in the book have paid their deposits. We will be contacting anyone who has a reservation and no deposit paid over the next few weeks. We cannot hold cabins into mid-January for folks with unpaid deposits. If you have made payment arrangements with us, thank you!
We will begin sending out reservation confirmation emails in the new year. These will go to the group leader.
Reservations for spring are filling up, and we have a few prime spots left. We have quite a few openings for July, August and Sept. Please contact us to find available dates and cabins. This time of year, the reservation book can change daily so calling, emailing, or filing out the book now form online are your best ways of knowing what is open. We can tailor a trip to fit your needs easier if we can communicate in one of these ways:
Book Now Form
1-800-541-3431 OR 1-807-529-3231
manotaklodge@gmail.com
If you have questions about a fishing trip to Manotak Lodge and want to speak to us in person, please plan to attend one of these Sports Shows. We look forward to meeting new guests and visiting with current guests at these events. If you visit with us at an All Canada Show, you can enter a contest to win your trip! Use this coupon for discounted tickets to the three All Canada Shows:
We truly value and appreciate all of our guests and cannot wait to help you experience an amazing fishing vacation in the wilderness of Northwest Ontario! Wishing everyone a healthy, prosperous, and fish filled New Year!
